Hey everyone, Abbey reporting back to you! Back in the Dominican Republic, my team leader had us share our spiritual gifts. I am still figuring out what all of mine are, but after taking a test, administration was one of my top three. I’m not going to lie, I had no idea how that could be a spiritual gift, nor how it could really be used to build the kingdom. Since May, I have not put much thought into exploring or learning more about administration. Truthfully, it seemed boring, and out of all of them, not one I had on my wishlist. I don’t love planning my life day to day, and schedules tend to stress me out. Not having a plan is more restful for me. I practice that during my sabbaths – not planning anything or having a schedule.
One thing I do love, though, are checklists. Naturally, I am a starter, not a finisher. I might not finish everything on the list in an ideal time. Honestly, I might not even finish them at all, but I do love writing out what I need to do and checking off the majority of the tasks. Could this skill fit into the gift of administration? How could I use list writing to further His kingdom?
After a couple months of not thinking about my spiritual gift of administration, it was brought up again while we were in Turkey. Two of my teammates and I were talking about how we wanted to implement more teaching on our team and learn from each other. I had an idea of a retreat and shared a little of that with them. We shelved the idea of the retreat and made our way to Tbilisi, Georgia. As we were praying about our time in Georgia and what to do there, the retreat came back up and after more prayer, the team decided to start our time here with a team retreat. With my experience of going to many retreats and having event planning in my blood (thanks mom and grandma!), my TL asked me to host it.
I started praying and vision casting for what this time would look like. My mom had told me about some silent retreats she attended and hosted in the past. I pondered including a time of silence in the retreat, but felt led to do that on my own separately. Going back to our talk in Cappadocia, I remembered our focus for the time, which was sharing our gifts and passions with each other. My main goals with putting this on were to:
- Spend intentional time in the word
- Refill our cups so we could better pour out
- Continue to learn what it means for us to rest in the Lord
- Teach each other
- Eat meals together at the table
- Spend time with others we don’t naturally gravitate towards
- Make health a priority
- Give the introverts their time alone
With all of this on the table, I started writing out a flexible 9:30am-7:30pm timeframe. It was that or going til midnight everyday with all the activities we could potentially do! My team is in a season of ATL (ask the Lord) so I also wanted to prioritize the Holy Spirit and make sure I wasn’t the one running the show. Every day had space to change and allowed extra time if teachings or time together went over. I prayed about who would teach, who would lead activities, and what it looked like to spend intentional time together, especially with people on the team we didn’t naturally hang out with.
We ate lunch and dinner together everyday. This is typical for my team but it doesn’t always happen at a table, so we made our own dining room table and sat on the floor. Some of my favorite conversations with my team have happened around the table at meals.
After planning the two days, I jumped into a cooking and cleaning schedule. This was the best use of the time I could think of to successfully get everyone to hang out with each other. For a gal who doesn’t like to plan her life out, this part honestly took me a while. Even the day before we started, I was going over the list to make sure that was something we should do. Every time I prayed about it, I felt peace. Even when those feelings of “everyone’s probably going to hate this because I hate this” came, I chose to just give the discomfort to the Lord.
Almost everyone on my team had the chance to teach. It was sweet to learn from each other and see what everyone is passionate about.
Some teachings allowed time to reflect and come together for discussion.
During the retreat, some plans changed, and not everything went according to the schedule I planned with God. That was the point though – to allow the Spirit to move in those two days. Overall, we checked off the majority of the things I had envisioned our team doing. As boring as administration seems, it wasn’t until this retreat that I saw how much of a gift it is that the Lord blessed me with. Looking back at my past jobs and leadership positions, I saw that I am a natural administrator. I love starting projects and I am creative. I just have a hard time following through on my ideas.
After Lynneal’s teaching we did an activity to show how each body part is important.
One of our teachings was about the body of Christ and how we need each other. There are times I don’t think administration is important and I wish for other gifts. Even though I might not love my role in the body, I have to remind myself that I am still a vital part. Without administration…well, we would all be running around like chickens with our heads cut off!
I encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 12 and allow the Spirit to show you your gifts. Spend time thanking Him for the gifts you have been given and ask how you can be stepping into them more.
It’s totally in your blood and I love that you’ve discovered it!! It’s one of your spiritual gifts for sure and I know God will use it to further his kingdom! We all continue to pray for you and your team daily!
Really really good Abbey,
I couldn’t help but think about my administrative/ logistically gifted wife who modifies, compliments and balances my weaknesses and Non gifts out as I balance her out. The body of Christ stirring up and exercising their gifts in community with one another and in the fathers kingdom business, not only builds the body up in love but advances and furthers the kingdom at wherever and in whatever they’re doing.
Such a good blog, wow.
And such good self-awareness and realizing you’re more of a starter than a finisher, which will allow you to course correct and by his grace bring that back into alignment.
So proud of you woman of God for sitting with the Lord and allowing him to impress on you and prompt you with those various points and then to fill it out in such a creative way with what your entire team could bring to the table. What a blessing.
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
??1 Peter? ?4:10-11? ?ESV??
Aw! Gael! I love this. So cool to hear about how God is using those natural things He’s given you, especially in ways you enjoy and maybe strengthening you in things you don’t enjoy as much. Boy are we the same in being starters but not necessarily finishers…(; I can so see how you’d be good at planning a retreat, and I love reading about your process in spending time with Jesus while planning it.
Every time I hear the song “Abba”, I think of you. It reminds me of your creative, passionate, and genuine relationship with God. You’re on my mind often.
The more I’m away from home, the more of your gifts I see in me. It’s been really special to be able to use them and share our similarities!
Sometimes I don’t appreciate my gifts, until we really need someone to put something together. I’m thankful for a team who has allowed me to use my gifts when needed! God is so good to put together a team with so many different strengths.
YOU are on my mind often, I love being able to share with my team so many memories with you. Thank you for your kind words and supporting me through my blogs. Love and miss you!!